Top 25 Short Story Reads of 2024

This is my annual list of my favourite short stories read over the course of the year. It's the usual unapologetic mix of spec-fic and realism, along with the 'newish' and old. Some stories from Dance of the Happy Shades are on previous lists rather than this one as I'd already read a number of stories in other anthologies. I am also still reading The Book of Magic. This year, I managed 102 reads. As always, many fabulous stories were just off being listed, but I'm committed to the yearly cold cutoff at 25.

‘Dirae’ by Peter S. Beagle (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)

‘Smart Ovens for Lonely People’ by Elizabeth Tan (from Smart Ovens for Lonely People)

‘Day of the Butterfly’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in Chatelaine)

‘An Ounce of Cure’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in The Moitrealer)

‘Red Dress–1946’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades)

‘Thanks for the Ride’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in Tamarack Review)

‘Recidivist’ by Gardner Dozois (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)

‘Gunter Weber’s Confession’ by Louis de Bernieres (from Labels and Other Stories by Louis de Bernieres)

‘Andouil and Andouilette Begin Their Holiday’ by Louis de Bernieres (from Labels and Other Stories by Louis de Bernieres) Not overly deep nor profound but a warm comical tale featuring a loving elderly couple.

‘The Friends of Masquelayne the Incomparable’ by Matthew Hughes (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Ancient Ways’ by S.M. Stirling (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois) Old school swashbuckling fun.

‘The Boy Who Didn’t Yearn’ by Margo Lanagan (from White Time)

‘Pang & Co. Genuine Scribe Era Stationery Pty Ltd’ by Elizabeth Tan (from Smart Ovens for Lonely People. First published in dotdotdash 2010)

‘Biography of a Bouncing Boy Terror: Chapter II: Jumping Jack in Love’ by Ysbeau S. Wilce (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Community Service’ by Megan Lindholm (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Seven Years from Home’ by Naomi Novik (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)

‘Veterans Day’ by Cat Sparks (from Dark Harvest, originally published in Hear me Roar)

‘The Painted Girl’ by Sue Isle (from Nightsiders by Sue Isle)

‘The Shining Houses’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in the CBC programme Anthology)

‘Boys and Girls’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in The Moitirealer)

‘The Time of Death’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in The Canadian Forum)

‘Fata Morgana’ by Cat Sparks (from Dark Harvest, originally published in Mother of Invention) It was a privilege to provide feedback on this story prior to publication.

‘Song of Fire’ by Rachel Pollack (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Wealth’ by Margo Lanagan (from White Time)

‘Washing Day’ by Elizabeth Tan (from Smart Ovens for Lonely People, first published in Mascara Literary Review)